Eurocom Monster 1.0 11.6" Gaming Notebook Review

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Introduction and Specifications

When Eurocom sent us their latest gaming notebook for evaluation, we expected the usual huge, heavy machine with obscenely powerful components inside. It’s even called the “Monster”, which seems to indicate a particularly beastly rig.

But when the box arrived on our doorstep, it seemed far too small to encase anything resembling the description above. Indeed, inside the small shipping container was an even smaller notebook.

The Monster is barely bigger than a netbook, actually, with an 11.6-inch screen and a body that’s as thin as 0.5 inches and only as thick as 1.5 inches. On the outside, it’s more of an adorable version of a gaming notebook than some terrifying creature; as it turns out, the monster lives inside.

Eurocom’s idea with the little Monster was to deliver a gaming notebook that wasn’t heavy, ungainly, or battery-hungry but didn’t skimp on the specs, either. For the most part, the company was successful. The Monster comes in at just under 4 pounds and boasts a quad-core Intel Core i7-3720QM (2.6GHz/3.6GHz) Ivy Bridge chip, 8GB of DDR3-1866 (2 x 4GB) memory, and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M GPU.

Intel’s integrated HD 4000 graphics are on board to help maximize battery life by handling less intensive graphics tasks with NVIDIA’s Optimus technology shuttling heavier workloads to the GeForce GPU, and a 120GB Intel 520 series SSD ensures speedy performance on the storage side.

Being that the Monster is a gaming notebook, the display is important, but although the glossy screen does have decent viewing angles and contrast, we definitely wish the blacks were deeper. The 1366x768 resolution is a mite disappointing as well, although it’s hard to wish for much more considering the size of the screen.

For connectivity, Eurocom built in gigabit LAN, 802.11n WiFi, and integrated Bluetooth 3.0. There’s also a pair of USB 3.0 ports, a USB 2.0 port, headphone and mic jacks, VGA and HDMI ports, a 9-in-1 multimedia card slot, and an integrated 1.3MP webcam. Our model as configured costs $1,605, although base models start at just $783, and users can opt for a 1-year or 3-year limited warranty.

On the next page, we’ll address the question anyone who’s seen a burly Eurocom notebook before is likely asking: What’s a pint-sized Eurocom gaming laptop like up close and in person?